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Working from home – part 3

02 Feb 2014

Five top tips for making it a success

Any working patterns that are different from the standard 9-5 are bound to require a bit of thought. But if you take these tips into account when you’re making and carrying out your plans, you’ll be more likely to succeed.

1 Think about whether it’s right for you

If you’re someone who thrives on being around people, or your role is better suited to an office environment, maybe it’s just not the best solution for you. You can’t change your personality, but you can think about which parts of your workload are most suited to working remotely. As a compromise, you could…

2Mix it up a little

Propose flexible terms that allow you the option of working from home some of the time (either for a set number of days a week, or for particular projects or pieces of work that suit it best), but that include some time in the office too. Flexibility works best when it works both ways, so if there are important meetings or events taking place in your office, try and arrange your schedule around them.

3Stay in touch with the team

It’s not about sending a million emails to prove that you’re not skiving, but simply about making sure your output is noted and appreciated. Think about the most appropriate way to stay in touch, and plan in some time with your boss or other members of your team, even if only by phone, which means you’ll need to...

4Have the right technology in place

From Skype calls and Google hangouts to more low-tech necessities like printers and paper, making sure you’re set up to work remotely will help you make it a success.

5 Make sure you stop sometimes

It’s too easy to glue yourself to your desk when there’s no one there to stop you. So once you start working from home, make sure you take time out at lunchtime to have a walk or even just a stretch – you’ll feel better for it.

A 2014 survey found that 60% of employees would work from home if their employer gave them the option. If you’re one of them, don’t wait to be asked. Take the initiative and make it work; with the right amount of planning and mutual buy-in, there’s no reason why it can’t be beneficial for employers and employees alike.